Coach Driving With James Ep.18 - Lynton to Minehead via the A39

[@leedavis66]

As a 16-year old in 1983 I was a passenger on a Plaxton-bodied Bristol LH6L belonging to Western National which did that bank between Lynton and Lynmouth both ways. I've not done it since so your experience was a treat. Hope you did get a chance to film it in the opposite direction and we will it in due course.

[@james143611]

Wow that would have been a noise fest 🤣and a challenge too! I cover the return in Ep.19 but NOT via this route, I avoided the A39 altogether, problem is I didn't fancy going that way at 0830am when traffic levels were probably high, might not be but wasn't willing to risk it

[@theprogamergt9584]

Hi James im watching this from my armchair it felt like i was sitting in the coach.

[@craigtw1984]

Another fantastic video James, thanks for sharing 👍🏽 😀

[@SimonEarlie]

Wow. That was some route. Squeaky bum time in spots. Fair play, great drive.

[@james143611]

Thank you, I wouldn't mind if they said I won't be going there again though 😅

[@TheFlyingBusman]

Devon and Cornwall roads are no joy. Even many A roads are poor. I can share similar experiences driving around rural North Yorkshire. Slow and steady wins the day with lots of observation and forward planning. Something that unfortunately many other road users are totally inept at doing leading to them blundering into situations that they blame us coach drivers for and expect us to fix 🙄

[@andyholland859]

Have you ever done Blue Bank, out of Whitby, 20% incline, quite a challenge in a full Bova with a manual box. 😱 it huffed and puffed a bit lol.

[@james143611]

Not heard of that one, blimey! Manual bovas we had were power trains on the flats, can imagine they took some work on steep hills!

[@kevinanderson5658]

​@@james143611 Few in north Yorkshire Birkbrow a171 guisborough to Whitby road Charlton village Yerby bank b1269 Redcar to guisborough road Skelton bank very tight and twisty and steep. Video on KZbin best bus driver. Arriva temsa avenue LF in snow (triva temsa avenue LF only ones in UK from Redcar depot Funny 🤣 it's transit city bus not designed for steep hills Blue bank Whitby Sleights bank Broughton village bank

[@glenmason1876]

Great video james, must be bad in winter driving there

[@james143611]

Funnily enough someone commented that on the coach when we did the steep drop into Lynmouth, how fun it must be in the snow! I doubt many Coaches go round there in the winter

[@reu28]

You need a "dash mounted" camera, would be much better to see the scenery etc.

[@stuartsamuel8791]

If you'd turned right on entering Lynton, then followed the road out of the town towards Barbrook, you could have turned left comfortably at the junction with the road from Lynmouth without going into Barbrook to turn.

[@james143611]

Ah the A39 route from Lynmouth to Barbrook do you mean? That is the Caravan route I did query that on the Coach Drivers group if that was the best way, but apparently it's ok apart from the hairpin bend before Barbrook coaches have grounded out there before, I've never been round there ever to be honest so personally didn't want to risk it